10 Mom Hacks That’ll Make Your Life Easier

When I found out I was pregnant with twins I was immediately overwhelmed with fear and anxiety.  I was and still am completely unqualified!  While four kids in five years was not part of my plan, it’s been the most amazing adventure.  These babes keep me on my toes 100% of the time.  They keep me learning and moving and our life is so full of chaos!  But a good chaos.  A happy chaos!  Last night was one of those nights though where the chaos wasn’t so happy.  They were all fighting and screaming and just destroying my house.  You know those nights, right?!  When things get out of control like that there’s usually only one solution — to get out of the house!  Being a mom is so hard and always confusing!  There’s always room for improvement.  I’ve been sharing a few mom hacks on Instagram stories that help me be a little bit more efficient + organized and I thought it’d be fun to carry the conversation over here and share 10 things that have made my life easier as a mom.  10 mom hacks if you will!  They’re sort of all over the place but I wanted to round up a few of my favs interspersed with a couple pics from our night out at the park because let’s be honest, no one likes to read without pictures ? .

10 Mom Hacks That’ll Make Your Life Easier:

1.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Having kids has taught me a lot about life. And mostly that being an adult is all about googling things and making it up as you go ?!!  One thing I’ve learned over the years is to not stress the small stuff.  Clothes can be washed, messes can be picked up and moments fly by too quickly.  There’s beauty and freedom in just embracing the moment and enjoying your kids no matter how big of a mess they are making! 

2.  Don’t leave the house without snacks ?.  For real.  Don’t leave the dang house without snacks!  I always pack a baggie full of crackers or gold fish mixed with cereal for each toddler + apple sauce to go’s + fruit snacks + granola bars + water bottles…  I literally can’t leave the house without my supplies because if I do, and one of the twins gets hungry, I’ve soon got two toddlers screaming at me for “nacks”.  I have a little space in my pantry where I put all the snack foods + ziplock bags so that it takes me 60 seconds to pack bags for everyone.  I also have a little peanut butter and jelly station that’s been super helpful too!  Point is, do yourself a favor and pack snacks!

3.  One-on-one time, 10 minutes a day ??.  Giving each of our kids undivided attention for 10 minutes a day has literally changed the game for us.  Spending 10 minutes coloring with just Savy or having my oldest read to me in his room.  Taking one of the babies upstairs and playing trucks with just him for ten minutes.  They’re all simple things but that one-on-one time has made the biggest difference.  I feel like the older kids try harder to work together as a family because they feel validated in their little world and can see the difference they make and how much they mean.

4. Secret Invisible Spray, preferably in the Boho Berry scent ? .  K NO JOKE though you guys.  Our mornings start quick, 0-100mph in 30 seconds.  We’re hustling to get everyone dressed and fed before Boston needs to be taken to the bus at 8:30.  From there I take the other kids to the little preschool at the gym for an hour so I can work out.  By 10am we are at the park or going to library time and all the while I’m just chasing kids and managing tantrums and adventures!  The last thing anyone wants to be worrying about is if their deodorant is working!  Secrets Invisible Spray lasts throughout my whole day and it’s perfect for the girl on-the-go!  It has a sweat activated fragrance technology that captures odor and replaces it with a fresh scent that keeps you feeling clean and fresh for up to 48 hours!  It’s my go-to summer beauty essential that gives me the confidence to beat the heat and crazy adventures!

Secret Invisible Spray — next time you’re at Target stocking up on all the essentials, give this bad boy a try ??.  

5.  Get a diaper bag that turns into a backpack ?.  When I had Boston and Savy, back pack diaper bags weren’t really a thing.  They were these huge messenger type bags that were heavy and awkward.  But now there’s no excuse to not have a bag that’s a backpack or one that at least transitions into one.  They’re so incredibly helpful when you have young kids because let’s be honest, a mom with toddlers just needs two hands.  The end.  My favorite diaper bag backpacks are from Fawn Designs and also Lily Jade!  Do you have a favorite?

6.  Plan simple activities ?.  You don’t need to go to the zoo or to the pool every day.  Your kids don’t need huge grand gestures.  They need your time and attention.  My kids love little streams or small hikes.  They love parks and they LOVE swinging.  All I’m saying is don’t stress yourself out with the activities you plan.  The simpler in my opinion the better because then you can just focus on hangin’ out with them instead of stressing over all the unknowns.  

7. Put your phone down ?!  As much as I like to snap literally everything, you’ll notice that I go through spurts on Instagram.  I give myself moments where I have my phone out and then I put it away for several hours before picking it up again.  Living in the present moment is such a gift and it’s something that my kids notice.  Being present is a beautiful thing for everyone.

8.  Buy clothes that coordinate ?.  This is a random one but something that’s been so helpful for us this year.  Savy is my little free spirit who is so opinionated about what she wears.  It’s been a constant battle!  Something that’s helped me SO much is buying clothes that coordinate.  I buy a lot of rompers + dresses but if it’s shorts and shirts I make sure to get things that coordinate so she doesn’t have the option to pair a neon pink skirt with a red shirt!  It’s honestly saved me so much grief in the mornings.  Now she can pick out whatever she wants and for the most part it matches and makes her feel super independent ?

9.  Have a devotional every morning ?.  This is one of those things we started doing a couple months ago and it’s nothing intense, but something very intentional that brings us all together as a family.  When breakfast is on the table and the kids are eating, I turn on a little church song for them to listen to.  After it’s over I have Boston or Savy say a prayer on breakfast and then we read an article out of the friend magazine.  They are just small little stories that build faith and love.  After I read them a story, we will chat about it for a minute and talk about how we can make good choices throughout the day.  Then I like to give my kids a little assignment.  Today I invited Boston to find someone at his school who looked a little lonely or sad and to happily say hi to them or invite them to sit by him at lunch!  These little devotionals take less than five minutes and make such a huge difference in our day!

10.  Don’t forget about you.  Everyday you need to do something for yourself.  Moms are notorious for always putting themselves last and I totally get it!  Moms are putting out fires all day long and keeping things moving!  But you need to slow down and do something for you too.  I go to the gym.  I put the kids in the daycare and I have 1 hour to myself.  I listen to music or inspirational podcasts and that hour preps me for a day full of crazy chaos!  Maybe for you it’s spending an hour getting ready so you feel confident and ready to battle the day!  Maybe it’s letting the dishes go during nap time and reading a book, or watching a show.  Whatever it is, don’t forget about you.  You can’t give on an empty tank so make sure it’s full!

Alright guys.  Those are my 10 random mom hacks that have really impacted how we are raising our kids and surviving the crazy days.  Is there something you do every day that has helped you keep the peace or stay more organized?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Thanks Secret for sponsoring this post!  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I’m so grateful to partner with brands that I love and that believe in me.